


Summer Sweet (But You’re Sweeter)

by kumjongin



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: (it takes place the summer between so I’m tagging both), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Coming of Age, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pool Sex, Summer, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:40:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kumjongin/pseuds/kumjongin
Summary: It’s the summer before college, and Chanyeol realizes it might be his last chance to tell his best friend his true feelings.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 7
Kudos: 143
Collections: Round 4: Spring and Summer





	Summer Sweet (But You’re Sweeter)

**Author's Note:**

> For Exo Seasonal Round 4. Prompt 120

_ Drip. _

_ Drip. _

Chanyeol frowned, cracking an eye open under his sunglasses. The burn of sunlight was still seeping into his skin, but as he glanced at the sky, swarms of grey clouds quickly began to take over. “Oh fuck, Jongin, incoming,” he warned, immediately standing to begin retrieving their things.

“Huh?” Jongin asked, sounding sleepy.

“Rain, dumbass,” Chanyeol thumped him on the head with his free hand. He was already up and heading to the safety of his house when the first clap of thunder sounded overhead.

Cold rain began to fall, seeping into the shoulders of Chanyeol’s shirt. He’d slid open the glass door and stepped in before he turned to look back at Jongin, who was only just getting up from the lawn chair. 

Chanyeol watched him, silently, as Jongin simply stood looking at the sky. He couldn’t see the expression on his face very well, but his gaze roamed quickly over the white t-shirt that was quickly soaking through. He could see lines of muscle on his tan skin, and Chanyeol licked his lips. 

He set down what he was holding before venturing back out, wrapping his fingers around Jongin’s wrist. “Come on, you’ll get sick,” he suggested, though his voice was soft. 

Jongin smiled a little, finally looking at Chanyeol. They were silent for the briefest of moments before Jongin took off for the house, leaving Chanyeol no choice but to chase after him. They stepped inside the glass doors, and suddenly Jongin was laughing. He had an infectious laugh, and Chanyeol couldn’t resist the laughter that bubbled out from his chest as well, and he grabbed Jongin to him in a half-hug, ruffling his hair. He could still feel the heat from the sun in his body.

Jongin smiled up at him, the laughter slowly dying down. “That was fun.”

Chanyeol shook his head, amusement on his face. “This is why you should just listen to me,” he reminded him, ruffling his hair again.

Jongin smiled, “It’s cute you’re oh-so-concerned with me getting wet.”

“Knowing you, you’d fall asleep and then you’d catch a cold and pout about it for the next week, I was doing myself a favor.”

Jongin rolled his eyes. “What are we gonna do now?”

He hummed, “I’ll grab you a towel. Wanna play Madden?” He didn’t wait for Jongin’s answer, however, before he walked off to the linen closet. By the time he returned, Jongin was raiding the kitchen.

“Where’s your mom again?”

“She’s out shopping, she needed a dress for a cousin’s wedding. You just want her here so she’d cook for you,” he teased, tossing the towel to him. 

Jongin didn’t even bother to deny it, only taking the towel and rubbing his hair with it. “What’s that?” he asked instead, glancing at an envelope on the counter.

Chanyeol glanced over from the freezer, pulling out some pizzas to keep Jongin’s stomach occupied. “Oh, it’s just like roommate assignments and stuff like that for fall,” he shrugged. It was only a couple of weeks since they’d graduated high school, their last summer before they went off to college. 

“Oh. Did you talk to them yet?” Jongin asked, leaning against the counter as he picked up the letter. 

“Eh, a little bit. He seems cool,” he said, handing Jongin a soda and putting the food on a tray. “Have you gotten yours?”

“I don’t think so, not yet. It’s crazy to think we’re done with school, you know? That here in a few months, we’ll be at college. Different colleges, at that…” he said, tone unreadable.

Chanyeol watched him for a silent moment. Of course he’d known that, had known since they had received their letters earlier in the year about where they’d been accepted. But somehow, it didn’t feel real. “But we won’t be far, you know?” he offered. And it was true to a degree, their colleges were a couple hour’s drive away from each other.

Jongin smiled a little. “Yeah...I guess we’ll still see each other. When we can. Come on, let’s go play,” he said abruptly, taking his drink and walking out of the kitchen.

Chanyeol sighed softly. He’d known that it was coming, but somehow talking about it reminded him that this would be their last summer together like this. Come next fall, they wouldn’t be able to see each other every day, and he wouldn’t be able to guarantee their weekly hangouts. Something in his chest tightened at the thought, and he closed his eyes tightly. It was so hard to imagine life without Jongin as a constant. They’d been inseparable since middle school, through all of the awkward years and failed crushes and attempts to figure out who they were. He couldn’t imagine not having Jongin by his side.

All those years, and Chanyeol had realized he was in love with Jongin back in 10th grade, when Jongin was trying to get a date for homecoming and talked about how he wanted to kiss someone and all Chanyeol could think about was wanting to be the one to kiss him. But more than wanting that, he knew that he needed Jongin as a friend. He opened the oven and glanced at the pizza, wondering what he was going to do. Maybe this summer was his last chance to tell him. If by some miracle Jongin felt a similar way, it could keep them together. If he didn’t, then it would be easier to move on if he didn’t have to see him every day.

—

Chanyeol smiled, wrapping his arm tighter around Jongin as Sehun took the photo. He could feel his sun-kissed skin through their shirts, and it was comforting. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the pier in a golden glow.

“Fuck, what time is it?” Sehun suddenly asked.

“Uh, 7:48?” Jongin offered, glancing at his phone.

“Shit...I was supposed to start at 7:30.”

Chanyeol laughed, “Get out of here, dumbass.” 

Sehun made a face and shrugged, turning to leave them with a halfhearted wave over his shoulder. He’d gotten a summer job at one of the booths on the pier, and he had seemed less than thrilled about it. 

It took a moment for Chanyeol to remember he was still hanging onto Jongin, and he quickly dropped his arm. “Poor Sehun,” he said, amused.

“I can just imagine him scaring the little kids handing out prizes,” Jongin shook his head.

Chanyeol laughed, “Probably. Want to walk around?” Sehun was more Jongin’s friend than Chanyeol’s, the two of them meeting through the yearbook committee. He’d insisted that he wanted to have photos of them in case he decided to flee the country instead of going to college, which somehow Chanyeol wouldn’t have been surprised about.

“Sure,” Jongin said, a smile on his face.

He smiled back, leading Jongin away from the dock. There were an array of people, but it was relatively quiet for a summer evening. Some nights on the pier, they could hardly find each other in the crowd. He knew that it usually got busier as it got later, so he didn’t want to waste the chance to enjoy the semblance of quiet.

Jongin pointed at the basketball game, “Want to do that one?”

He nodded faintly, and they walked up to the attendant who took his ticket. The attendant handed him three balls, stepping back from being in the way. Chanyeol furrowed his brow, staring at the hoops he was supposed to throw the miniature basketballs into, sizing them up. They came to the pier multiple times in a summer, but Chanyeol still thought that all of these games were up to pure luck.

He aimed and tossed the first, watching with a sigh as it bounced off of the rim. Jongin laughed next to him. He frowned again, aiming higher. He threw the ball, and it didn’t even get close. “I’m terrible at this,” he announced, throwing the last ball.

“Hey, it’s okay. These games are rigged anyway,” Jongin assured him as the ball swept under the hoop.

He let out an exaggerated sigh. “I thought with my height I was destined to be a baller.”

Jongin laughed, lightly hitting his shoulder. “Shut up, you are way too clumsy to be a ‘baller’ anyway.”

Chanyeol pouted, milking his loss for what it was worth. “And now you’re ruining my dreams, man. What else am I supposed to be?”

“Maybe you’re meant to be a fisherman,” Jongin offered, nodding toward the fishing game.

“You know...I can feel it. Fisherman Chanyeol...I can make that work,” he joked. “Come on, do you want to try this one?” he asked, glancing at the basketballs.

“Nah, I have more fun watching you lose.”

Chanyeol’s hand clutched his chest. “How can you be this cruel? I thought we were friends,” he cried, too loud and earning a few looks from a passerby.

“Come on, maybe I’ll be nice if you win me a prize,” he declared.

He couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips. If they hadn’t been friends for so long, it would feel like flirting. But he knew better, and yet he couldn’t help the strange pull in his chest. “I hope you’re ready to carry the biggest bear they have then,” he said.

“Sounds like big words for a guy who hasn’t won a game in years.”

“Oh yeah? Well that sounds like a challenge. I’ll win you that prize.”

“Or what?”

“Or…” Chanyeol paused. He hadn’t gotten that far. “Name your price.”

“If you fail, you have to buy me any snacks I want,” Jongin said, playful smile back on his lips.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but roll his eyes. It was just like Jongin to demand snacks from him. “Okay, fine, snacks it is. But I’m not even going to think about it because I’m going to win.”

“Sure thing, hot stuff,” Jongin teased.

Unfortunately, Jongin wasn’t wrong about Chanyeol not having won a game in some years. He was notoriously bad at winning any of the games on the pier even when they were things he thought he’d be good at. So they found the fishing game, and he only came close for about ten seconds before the plastic fish dropped and he was out again. They moved onto other games, throwing darts and horseshoes, only for them to end up the same way. Chanyeol didn’t even come close in the ring toss game. And every time he lost, there would be Jongin smiling at him as he leaned against the counter, watching him play.

“Are you ready to just give up yet?” Jongin asked, playful smile on his lips as they walked by the shooting game.

Chanyeol wasn’t so sure of that, it would probably be easier if he did just give up. But he was nothing if not stubborn. “You wish. We haven’t tried every game here, I’m not down or out just yet. So don’t you be eyeing those snacks,” he warned, giving him a mock glare.

Jongin laughed, “Okay, it’ll be more fun watching you lose this way.”

Chanyeol swatted his arm, and Jongin laughed again, hitting him back. Naturally, he had to retaliate, and they ended up battling it out in a teasing slap fight that ended up with Chanyeol wrapping his arms around Jongin to stop the playful assault. They were both laughing and close to out of breath, but as Chanyeol began to calm down, he noticed the way that Jongin felt in his arms. He had such a small waist, and he was so warm pressed against him. He could feel warmth spreading over his cheeks, and he had to let go, not trusting what he might do if he stayed holding onto him.

There was a smile on Jongin’s face as he straightened away from Chanyeol’s hold, and he lightly swatted his arm again one last time. “Maybe we should just call it a night, yeah?”

“Oh, you’re forfeiting now?” Chanyeol asked, though for a moment he’d forgotten all about the wager.

“Never! But I want to save your ego. So how about we just promise to do this again, same stakes,” Jongin said, lips curved into a pretty smile.

Sometimes Chanyeol felt like he couldn’t breathe when he looked at Jongin like that, when he stood there just looking so ethereal without even trying. “Ah...okay. But I warn you, I’m coming back stronger. You’re giving me the chance to practice, you know,” he warned.

“Yeol, you’ve been trying to win these games for years, I don’t think another week will help you much.”

He looked aghast for a moment, wounded that Jongin would insult his gaming ways. “I’m out of practice, that’s all. You’ll see.”

Jongin laughed and shook his head, “Okay, I guess we both will.”

—

Chanyeol sighed softly, watching the fire burn shades of orange and red into the night sky. It was a Saturday night, and some of their friends decided to have a party by the beach. His parents had looked at him a little curiously, but since he had graduated, they reasoned he’d be in charge of his own potential wild nights in college, or that’s what they told him. 

He took a drink from the plastic cup, filled with cheap vodka and Sprite. It wasn’t the best tasting concoction, but it was enough to get them all buzzed, which was the only important factor. “What are you planning, Chanyeol?” Yixing asked, tilting his head as he watched him from across the fire.

They’d shared a lab table for two years, but Yixing was more friends with Sehun than he was Chanyeol or Jongin. “Ah...well, I’m going to LSU. The plan is to major in business, but honestly...who really knows, right?”

Yixing smiled a little in that kind way he always had. “True. You and Jongin aren’t going to the same college though, right?”

“They’re going to die without each other,” Baekhyun chimed as he took a seat near Yixing.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He and Baekhyun had known one another for years, their moms were on the same board so he was used to his jovial manner. “Oh, come on, it won’t be that bad.”

Jongin bumped him lightly. “Chanyeol is always lost without me. I pity him, really,” he teased.

Chanyeol reached out, swatting his knee. “Asshole. I think it’s you who’s going to be lost. You probably won’t even talk to anyone, and then when you come home during breaks you’re going to be whining about being lonely,” he said, a smile on his face.

“Shut up, I will not.” Jongin laughed. 

The conversation continued around them, and he half listened to people talking about their colleges and planned majors, about their summer internships and the roommates they’d already contacted. He found out that he and Jongin’s tutor would be attending together, and he agreed halfheartedly to a plan to meet sometime when they were on campus.

But as he looked around at everyone, he wondered if any of it really meant much. Maybe it was true that he’d be lost without Jongin, maybe they would drift apart if they didn’t see each other every day. He glanced at Jongin, but his expression was still serene, maybe a little sleepy from the alcohol. He’d never had a very high tolerance, after all. “Jongin…” he whispered softly. He didn’t know what he wanted to say. They were surrounded by their friends, with the beach waves crashing against the sand and a fire burning in front of them. Maybe he should have been happy, or at least content. But for some reason it all left him with a sour taste in his mouth.

“What is it?” Jongin asked, turning to him with a pretty smile.

Chanyeol chewed the inside of his cheek. “Nothing...just...we are going to stay friends, right?” he knew it was beyond pathetic to ask that. He felt like a little boy seeking attention, wanting comfort on even the silliest of things. But it didn’t feel silly to him.

Jongin’s expression softened, and Chanyeol was caught for a moment in the way the fire reflected in his dark eyes, making them shine so bright. “Of course, Yeol. Come on, don’t be silly. As much as I give you a hard time, I’d be just as lost without you as you are without me,” he said, reaching out the clasp at his hand.

Chanyeol let it linger for a moment, savoring the warmth of his touch before he squeezed his hand back. He took a considering sip of his drink, buying himself a moment to think. “Yeah, you’re right,” he agreed.

There was a lump in his throat, and part of him was screaming to just tell Jongin. He wanted to grab him right then and there and kiss him until his knees felt weak and they could hardly breathe. “Jongin, I have to tell you something...I-”

Before any additional words could leave his lips, Jongin’s attention was gone, grabbed by Sehun pulling on his sleeve to tell him about his latest hookup drama. He didn’t expect for a pier to have such a sordid underbelly of drama, but it seemed he was wrong.

Chanyeol sighed softly, undetectable to most. He returned to his drink, slowly swallowing. He needed to tell him before they left for college, but maybe now wasn’t the time.

—

The hot sun beat down on his shoulders, and Chanyeol’s head tilted back, taking in the warmth of the summer day. Water lapped at his feet, and he let his eyes slip closed. There was nothing quite like sitting on the beach during a sunset in summer. Jongin was supposed to have been there a half hour ago to meet him, but he hadn’t shown up. Chanyeol couldn’t deny the pang of disappointment at the fact.

He yawned, wondering if he should just pack it up and go home. He’d spent the day helping his dad clean out the garage, and he was exhausted. Maybe it would have been better to just sleep early. Despite the thoughts, he knew he’d wait for Jongin. Even if it was just a text saying he couldn’t make it, he couldn’t help but wait on him. A single glimpse of his best friend helped to alleviate all worries, it was a little bit like magic.

“Chanyeol, shit, sorry,” came a voice a few steps behind.

He smiled a little, glancing over his shoulder to see Jongin walking toward him. “Nah, it’s fine,” he said. Of course, he knew very well that he would have said that no matter if it was fine or even if it wasn’t. But he had never been good at staying mad at Jongin.

Jongin smiled, stopping to pat his head. “You’re the best. But no, I got tied up because my mom was trying to interrogate me about my new roommate. You know how she is.”

Chanyeol laughed. Jongin’s mom had a tendency to be a little bit nosy when it came to her son, always demanding to know every little detail of who he was hanging out with and where he’d be. “Is your mom even going to survive you going to college? She can’t keep tabs on you there.”

Jongin plopped down into the sand next to him, rolling his eyes. “Tell me about it. I already had to talk her out of putting a tracker on my phone.”

“Again?”

“Again…”

He laughed, even though he knew how frustrated Jongin got sometimes with his mom’s hovering ways. He loved her, but she had a tendency to be a bit too much.

He took the moment to glance at Jongin, gaze taking over his form in the white tank top he wore. He loved when Jongin wore white, it always set off his skin tone so perfectly, showcasing the golden hues for everyone to see. But he didn’t linger long, and turned back to face the beach. “Are you excited though? Aside from the mom factor.”

“Yeah...it’ll be a different experience, that’s for sure. I guess I feel a little naive...like I know what to expect and I know it isn’t like movies or tv or anything, but I don’t know. It’s scary not knowing anyone, I guess,” he said, turning to look at Chanyeol. One eye was squinting a bit against the sun.

Chanyeol nodded, keeping his eyes focused on the waves. They rolled into the shore in measured beats, crashing gently into each other. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, though. You’re impossibly nice, who wouldn’t want to be your friend?” He smiled, playful even though his words were true. He didn’t bother to mention how handsome he was and how people always tended to want to be friends with the beautiful people. Jongin had never really accepted that fact anyway.

“Shut up. At least you have Kyungsoo,” he reminded him. 

Chanyeol shrugged. “Maybe, but he and I hardly know each other. He’s just your tutor to me. But hey...even if we find out we’re complete losers in college, we have each other, okay? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We’ll hang out as often as we can, and on breaks we’ll be able to see each other. We won’t be so far, you know?” he reached out to rub his back. He could feel the warmth of the sun and Jongin’s skin, and he let it linger for a moment.

“I know, Yeol. Thank you. I’m glad I have you…” he said, the smile returning. 

And then it was silent. Chanyeol didn’t know if much else needed to be said, and Jongin seemed content to not push the conversation. Jongin leaned back into the sand, closing his eyes. Chanyeol sighed softly, content despite knowing he should say something to his friend. He wanted to spill his guts again, wanted to tell him and make a promise for why they really could stay together. 

“Hey, Jongin...I really want to tell you something,” he said, voice quiet. He waited a moment for an acknowledgement, Jongin’s usual grunt if nothing else. But there was nothing. “Jongin?” he asked again, a little louder. But as he turned to look at him, he saw the slow rise and fall of his chest, the way his pretty lips were parted. He had fallen asleep.

—

Chanyeol leaned against the counter, watching Sehun stack up the balls on display again. It was a busy night, and Sehun kept rolling his eyes every time a customer walked away. “You really should reconsider any career in the customer service business,” he mused.

Sehun snorted softly, placing his hand on his hip. “And you should get to work on actually saying something to Jongin.”

He paused for a moment, lips parted in surprise. He’d never actually voiced his feelings out loud, and definitely not to Sehun. “What...do you mean?”

“Oh come on,” Sehun said. A kid approached the counter, and Sehun walked over to him, his expression softening only the slightest bit as he helped attend to him and get his balls, explaining the rules the same way he explained them every time.

Chanyeol knew he’d come back, but he turned to survey the rest of the pier. There were families walking around, carting strollers and holding little hands along the walk, there were couples who looked like they were on dates with one person clinging onto the other’s arm. It was normal, it was nice. But somehow it made him feel lonely. He was only just out of high school, but he couldn’t quite shake the feeling. He spotted Jongin over by the funnel cakes, talking to someone in line. He was smiling, and the guy kept looking Jongin up and down whenever Jongin looked away.

His jaw clenched slightly at the sight. Maybe he had no reason to actually be upset about someone checking Jongin out - it wasn’t as though it hadn’t happened plenty before - but it still got on his nerves. It wasn’t going to be long before he didn’t know much about who would be making passes at Jongin.

“Anyway, like I was saying. You’re way too obvious,” Sehun continued.

Chanyeol turned to face him, fingers playing with a stray ticket out of habit. He felt like he needed to be doing something, and tearing apart a paper ticket would do for the time being. “I don’t know what you mean…” he said. Sometimes it was easier to play dumb, he didn’t want to give himself away too much if he could help it.

“Denial I see. It’s fine. But I see the way you look at him, all sad and like this cute little puppy scared to be told no. I doubt he’s noticed or anything, he tends to be a little bit oblivious to those things,” Sehun shrugged. His tone continued to be matter-of-fact, as though he was delivering the daily weather report instead of saying words Chanyeol was a little bit afraid to hear.

“I do not…” he said. His tone didn’t sound convincing even to his own ears.

“Sure, sure. Whatever you said.” Sehun’s lips curved slightly, amused at Chanyeol’s state. “Well, then, it looks like someone is taking an interest in him at least,” he said, glancing toward where Chanyeol had last seen Jongin.

He turned quickly, scanning for Jongin. He was still by the funnel cakes, and the guy was even closer, resting his hand against his arm. Jongin was smiling, talking animatedly.

“An interesting reaction for someone who doesn’t care,” Sehun mused.

Chanyeol licked his lips, not bothering to turn to look at him. He was right, and they both knew he was. He didn’t think he could just up and say it though. “I’m gonna...get something…” he mumbled, stepping away. He didn’t exactly have a plan, or even an idea. But before his mind could really talk himself out of it, he was over in the funnel cake line, approaching them.

“Do you come here often?” he heard the stranger ask. 

Jongin shrugged, “Sometimes. My friend works the booth over there and it’s kind of fun to just hang out.”

Chanyeol shifted, hesitating for just a moment before he approached. “Hey...sorry, am I interrupting?” he asked, a wide smile on his face as he looked between them, feigning innocence. 

Jongin smiled, “Yeol, hey, no. This is Yifan- right?” He paused until the stranger nodded, “His family is visiting for the summer.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, man. I’m Chanyeol,” he said, smiling wide, trying to appear friendly. He took a half step closer to Jongin, wanting to protect him as though Yifan posed any sort of danger. He didn’t, but Chanyeol was a little bit paranoid.

“Yeah, nice to meet you. Jongin said he might show me around a bit,” Yifan said, shrugging a shoulder. He didn’t seem deterred by Chanyeol, his expression remaining calm.

That was a date wasn’t it? At least in the movies showing someone around was always just a way to invite themselves out together. “Oh, how cool! We could both show you around if you like, Jongin and I are both natives,” he said with a laugh. He knew he was being obnoxious, along with being a complete cockblock, but he couldn’t seem to shut it off.

Jongin laughed next to him, pinching the back of his arm where Yifan likely couldn’t see. “Wouldn’t that be something?” 

“Ow,” Chanyeol grumbled, squirming away. “Uh, sorry, I think I see Sehun signaling me for help…”

“Huh?” 

But Chanyeol didn’t stick around to hear the confusion, only walked straight to Sehun’s booth and sighed dramatically. He was making things worse, but every time he saw Jongin he yearned to confess.

It was a few minutes before Jongin returned, leaning against the counter. Sehun was entertaining a customer, handing him rounds of balls as he kept losing.

“What was that?”

”What was what?” Chanyeol asked, tone pleasant as ever.

“I don’t know...why were you so weird talking to Yifan?” There was a frown on his face.

Chanyeol laughed, “Was I? Sorry. It seemed like he was hitting on you, I was just...trying to help, you looked uncomfortable.” It was a bit of a lie, Jongin looked perfectly fine with the conversation. But he definitely didn’t want to spill his guts when his friend looked annoyed. 

Jongin sighed softly. “It’s okay, you mean well. For the record, he has a girlfriend. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to have a friend going to the same school as me in the fall.”

Chanyeol had never felt like such an asshole.

—

The tension from the pier didn’t last, as most of their idle arguments never truly did. Jongin was convinced enough that Chanyeol had only good intentions, and Chanyeol bought him as many snacks as he wanted as an apology. 

They were crowded in Jongin’s room, the windows open wide and fans blowing hot air around. It was a hot night, but rain had been on the horizon again, so it wasn’t very practical to do anything outside. Chanyeol could hear Jongin’s mom on the phone downstairs, though her words were muffled. His own parents were preoccupied with having his dad’s work colleagues over and he had jumped at the chance to not be around for a while.

“It’s so hot...I hate it…” Jongin whined, shifting his weight to his other hip. 

Chanyeol glanced at him. He was already wearing just a t-shirt and shorts. “It is hot...what happened to your a/c again?”

Jongin rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t working very well, so Dad tried to be the handyman again. Fucked it up for good. So I think the repair guys are coming next week, summer’s a pretty busy season,” he shrugged.

Chanyeol laughed, “I bet your mom is thrilled.”

“Actually, she doesn’t mind. She said it might be good to clear our house of the air conditioning toxins or something. Wherever she got that one from.” He smiled a little.

“Your family, man,” he shook his head. He didn’t mean anything by it, he loved Jongin’s family like they were his own even with their sometimes eccentric ways. His gaze fell back to the movie playing on screen, something Sehun recommended that turned out to be foreign and oddly romantic. He’d apparently just recommended it to Jongin, but when they had nothing better to do Jongin put it on. 

They were quiet as they continued to watch, and Chanyeol wondered what it would be like again to not have this as a constant. Even when they were in school, he and Jongin would get together at random times throughout the week and always at least one weekend night. But soon it would change, just as everything was. And he hated the idea that sometime next year they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the comfortable silence of each other anymore.

As he frowned slightly at the thought, he became aware of a sudden heaviness against his shoulder. Glancing, he realized that Jongin had moved so that his head was resting on Chanyeol. His heartbeat quickened, and he hoped that his friend couldn’t hear it or somehow feel it this way. It wasn’t as though it was the first time, Jongin was never particularly shy about leaning against him or touching him as some kind of reassurance. But Chanyeol’s mind was weighing heavily on the impending need to tell him, and it felt like too much.

It was hard to think with the warmth and weight of Jongin against him. He yearned to put his arm around him, to hold him closer. “Jongin? I love you.” The words were out before his mind caught up, and he felt a rush of heat to his face.

“Huh?” Jongin asked, not moving from his spot on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

Chanyeol licked his lips, mentally kicking himself for saying anything. “You know, you’re my best friend…” he said, voice trailing. They weren’t really the types of friends who said things like that, but it has to be better than the alternative. 

He glanced, and Jongin’s face was tilted toward him. It dawned on him that if he moved his head just a few inches he would end up kissing him. But he was frozen, Jongin’s expression unreadable. 

“I know. I love you too Chanyeollie,” he finally said, a slight smile slipping onto his face.

He didn’t know if he should be relieved or disappointed. He smiled, reaching to rub Jongin’s head. “Yeah, yeah, nerd,” he mumbled. That was more like them, even if he’d started it.

But Jongin laughed, lightly swatting him in the side. And it was okay.

—

“I told you!” Chanyeol pointed at the balls knocked down, pride swelling in his chest. They were back at the pier, and Chanyeol had been determined. They only had two weeks before summer was over, and he had promised Jongin and himself that he was going to make it.

“You actually fucking did…” Jongin said, disbelief evident in his tone.

Chanyeol grinned. “See what happens when you doubt me?”

Jongin rolled his eyes, “Don't get cocky now.”

“I think I deserve to. Sehun, the biggest bear you have,” he declared. 

Sehun looked rather bored, as usual, and snorted at the request. “Original,” he muttered faintly before grabbing the ladder to retrieve the toy.

“Good job, Chanyeollie,” Jongin said after a moment, the smile returning to his face. 

Chanyeol laughed and grabbed him in a hug, ecstatic at finally winning one of the stupid pier games. It had been so long. “I fucking did it! Finally!”

Jongin laughed, but returned the hug, joining in his excitement. “You did! I’m so proud,” he said, voice tinged with laughter as Chanyeol kept hugging him, practically spinning them both around. 

Before he could think better of it, Chanyeol was swept up in the feeling of Jongin’s warm frame in his arms and the pretty smile on his face, so he leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

As soon as it happened, of course, reality came down heavy on Chanyeol’s shoulders, the realization of what he’d done. He stopped spinning them both around but he couldn’t let go of Jongin. He could feel his smile get a little bit shaky, and he could hardly spare a glance at Jongin. He was hoping to just use the excitement as the excuse, that he’d meant to kiss his head or something like that, but Jongin had moved, that might work. 

But then, before he could start blabbering excuses, Jongin’s fingers were curling around his neck, tilting his head to look at him. Their eyes met, and suddenly Jongin was the one to lean in, pressing his lips against Chanyeol’s.

His chest clenched, warmth and excitement flooding him at the sudden thought that Jongin was kissing him. His best friend, the one person who knew everything about him was pressing their lips together. It took him longer than it should have to realize that he should kiss him back. 

He pulled him even closer, and his lips began to move against his. It felt like the movies, where time stopped and nothing mattered except for this kiss. Jongin’s lips were warm and soft, pliant against his own, letting him take the lead. He kissed him over and over, soft, slow kisses that made his mind race and his chest ache. Jongin’s fingers curled tighter, leaning into the kiss more.

But Chanyeol pulled away. He had to, had to look at his face this way. Jongin’s eyes were dark and shining, his lips red and kiss-swollen. It felt like they looked at each other for a long time, but it likely was only a few seconds. A smile slipped onto Jongin’s face, slowly and a little bit shy.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile either, and leaned in, kissing him gently. He didn’t know what it meant, not exactly, but he wanted to make sure Jongin knew it was okay. If he was doubting as much as Chanyeol was.

“Here’s your bear…” Sehun cut in.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but glare at him. Releasing Jongin, he picked up the giant stuffed toy. “Here you go, Jongin, as promised,” his voice sounded soft even to his own ears.

Jongin smiled, that perfect smile of his, and reached out, hugging the bear to him. “Thank you. I think I’ll name him Yeollie,” he said, laughing softly.

Chanyeol squeezed his hand, but the moment was broken when Sehun started making gagging noises behind them. “Fuck off,” Chanyeol said with a laugh, his loud voice returning once he’d set his sights on Sehun.

—

It had been a week since they kissed at the pier, and they’d managed to kiss a few more times since. Once was while they were sitting in the sand at the beach, watching the sunset fade away. Jongin had reached out to caress Chanyeol’s hair, and Chanyeol turned to look, and suddenly they kissed. The next was when they were at the mall, shopping for their upcoming year when Chanyeol pulled Jongin into a dressing room and kissed him pressed up against the mirror.

It was a bright afternoon as they lounged again at Chanyeol's pool, protected by large umbrellas this time. It had been quiet, and Jongin had just shown up without a word. But that wasn’t so unusual, Chanyeol would never turn him away. 

“Hey…” Jongin suddenly said, glancing over to Chanyeol.

“Hm?” He turned his head to give him his full attention instead of just sneaking glimpses from the corner of his eye.

“Why did you kiss me?”

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped open at the sudden question. They hadn’t actually talked about it, nothing had been said of their shared kisses, only that they kept happening and Chanyeol was too excited that it had happened to even bring it up. There was still a part of him that was afraid Jongin would reject him and their friendship wouldn’t be the same. “I mean...uh...it just kind of happened?”

Jongin’s brows knitted together for a moment. “Oh,” he said, turning back toward the pool.

Shit. Chanyeol knew that look, he was hurt. “Hey...I didn’t mean it like that...come here.” He reached out a hand.

Jongin didn’t stir, he only caught him glancing toward him.

But that was enough that at least he wanted to maybe hear the explanation. “It’s...shit. I mean I really didn’t plan to kiss you at the pier. But it’s not like...I didn’t want to,” he said. He was already having an overwhelming feeling like he was messing this up completely. Jongin still hadn’t really moved. “I like you, Jongin. I do...I have for I don’t even know how long now, but I really didn’t want my feelings to ruin our friendship, you know? But I was so excited and you looked so cute that I couldn’t help it.” His gaze fell in his lap, trying to console himself that if for some reason Jongin was mortified, they wouldn’t have to see each other as much.

“You’re dumb.” 

Chanyeol’s head shot up at the words, only to see Jongin getting out of the lounge chair and coming to stand next to him. “What?”

“You. Are. Dumb.” Jongin reiterated.

And then suddenly he was joining Chanyeol, sliding his leg over him to straddle his hips. Chanyeol’s breath caught in his throat, watching Jongin carefully as he settled onto Chanyeol’s lap. He hoped that Jongin didn’t feel his dick twitch at the sudden contact. “I mean I know, but-”

Jongin didn’t give him a chance to speak, suddenly kissing him. Chanyeol hesitated for the briefest of moments before his arms wound around Jongin, pulling him closer. Their lips brushed together, and Chanyeol was amazed that it hadn’t stopped feeling like a movie. He ran his hands along Jongin’s back, feeling along his spine and muscles defined from years of sports.

He licked at Jongin’s bottom lip, and Jongin gasped softly. Chanyeol took the opportunity to slide his tongue into Jongin’s mouth, tasting him and savoring the feeling of Jongin against him. It was all making his head spin, which wasn’t made any easier by the blood flow quickly running to his dick.

They kissed for what felt like hours, but was likely only minutes. Jongin was pliant in his arms, and kept making soft sounds into Chanyeol’s mouth that drove him crazy. His hands hesitated on the small of Jongin’s back, but then Jongin was kissing along his neck, licking at the sensitive juncture of his collarbone, and Chanyeol let go of those inhibitions, grabbing a handful of his taut ass. 

“Yeol...I like you too...always have...I don’t want to lose you,” Jongin said, words muffled against Chanyeol’s skin.

He could hardly believe the words, it was like they were ripped out of his own brain and spoon fed to Jongin. He let one hand drift up, cupping Jongin’s cheek to make him look at him. “Hey...don’t do that. I’m not going anywhere. Do you really think I’d ever be able to not have you in my life?” The words weren’t enough, he wanted to tell him how beautiful he was and how much he loved him, how much he ached to be with him and would be willing to throw away his entire future if it just meant that he could be with Jongin. But that was too much, he didn’t want to put that on him, he loved him too deeply for that.

“Are your parents home?”

Chanyeol pauses for a moment, trying to catch up with everything that was seeming to be happening in just the past minutes. “No...but I don’t know when my mom will be back,” he admitted. He wished he had a better answer, wished he could tell him that they had hours to enjoy each other.

“Let’s go for a swim,” Jongin suddenly said, not seeming deterred in the slightest.

Chanyeol raised his brows, and shrugged. Jongin swung his leg back over him and stood, and suddenly his fingers were pulling his shirt over his head. Chanyeol’s dick was still hard, and seeing Jongin standing there without a shirt, his golden skin warmed by the sun sent another shiver of pleasure through him. 

But he was never one to tell Jongin no, so he quickly followed suit, standing and throwing his shirt onto the chair. There was a splash, and Jongin was in the pool. Chanyeol shifted a little, trying to focus on anything but the way his shorts were tented quite obviously. He took a breath and jumped in, water rushing around his ears. He felt a hand run along his back, and he kicked for a second to regain his footing in the water, emerging into the sunlight. 

Jongin was smiling at him, looking serene and content as he took a step in the water toward him. He reached out, hands pressing against Chanyeol’s chest as he continued closer. He didn’t stop until Chanyeol was standing with his back against the side of the pool. 

Jongin hummed softly, and then he was kissing Chanyeol again. This time he was the one to lick into Chanyeol’s mouth, drawing soft moans from them both at the sensations. Chanyeol’s hands drifted again to Jongin’s ass, groping him and wanting every part of him pressed close even in the water. 

Seeming to read his thoughts, Jongin shifted, and suddenly his hips were pressing against Chanyeol’s purposefully. Chanyeol groaned, arching against him. Pleasure ran through him, yearning for more and savoring the delicious feeling of Jongin’s clothed cock against his own. 

They continued to kiss, their tongues sliding against each other and swallowing each other’s moans with every press of their hips together. Jongin was continuously rolling his hips against Chanyeol’s now, and he could feel how hard Jongin was against him.

Holding onto him tightly, he turned with Jongin until he switched their stance so Jongin was pressed against the side of the pool. Almost on instinct, Jongin’s legs suddenly moved, wrapping around Chanyeol’s hips. Chanyeol groaned, lifting his hand from the water to run his fingers through Jongin’s hair.

He wanted so much more of him, wanted to take everything Jongin would give to him. His cock was pulsing every time Jongin’s hips rubbed against his own. 

Suddenly, he had an idea. They were hidden, even if his parents came home the worst they’d see in the pool was them making out. “Can I touch you?” Chanyeol asked, noticing the raspiness in his own voice. 

Jongin’s eyelids fluttered open, looking at him with dark eyes and his pretty eyelashes fanning over his cheeks as he blinked. He nodded, running his hands along Chanyeol’s back as though savoring every touch.

He ran his hands along Jongin’s body, only able to feel him so well in the water. But he hoped that was okay, that they’d get a chance to touch each other more later on. Fingers curled around the waistband of his shorts, pulling them down. Jongin softly gasped, and Chanyeol leaned forward, kissing him softly as he slid his own shorts down over his hips as well. 

His hand slid between their bodies, wrapping his fingers around Jongin’s length. He could feel him shudder, his legs remaining hooked onto Chanyeol’s hips. Chanyeol kisses him, swallowing his quiet sounds as he slowly ran his fingers along the length of his cock. It was hot and thick, and part of him wanted to taste him. But it wasn’t the time now. Jongin’s teeth grazed across his bottom lip, and Chanyeol pulled away to encircle his fingers around both of their cocks, pressing them together. They moaned into each other’s mouths, and Chanyeol savored the sensation of Jongin’s fingers pressing into his wet skin, as though he couldn’t help himself.

Pleasure surged through him as he jerked them both off, starting with slow motions that made Jongin whimper. He knew he wasn’t going to last long, not with the way that his mind had been filled with dirty scenarios starring Jongin for years, and now it was actually happening. 

Jongin rolled his hips and Chanyeol groaned at the sudden change in pleasure. He pulled away from Jongin’s lips, panting curses softly as he continued to stroke their cocks, his thumb pressing over the tips to send waves of pleasure through him. He could tell by the way Jongin jerked against him that he was sharing in his pleasure. 

He quickened his pace, holding their cocks together as he began to fist them more frantically. He began to thrust against him, sliding their lengths together as he continued to stroke them. He could feel Jongin’s cock throbbing against his cock and in his hand. Jongin’s moans began to slip out until he pressed his mouth against Chanyeol’s shoulder, sucking softly to keep himself from being too loud. It was too much, and he wanted to be able to fuck Jongin, but he knew they wouldn’t have the chance.

His pace continued, dragging his palm and fingers over his and Jongin’s cocks, only for his thumb to drag over Jongin’s head. He couldn’t tell what was precome and what was the pool water, but he wanted nothing more than to keep Jongin moaning against him.

Jongin gasped, and clung even tighter to Chanyeol, biting at his shoulder like he couldn’t resist. His mind was racing with thoughts of Jongin, disbelief that they were doing this combined with the unmatched pleasure coursing through him. 

Suddenly, another hand wrapped around his own, and Chanyeol opened his eyes, realizing Jongin’s hand was now joining him in stroking them off. His cock pulsed, and he pressed another kiss to Jongin’s lips, hungrily and desperately as their hands worked their cocks together. 

They were moaning and panting into each other’s mouths as the pleasure continued to build, their hands frantically moving together. Chanyeol’s hips stuttered against Jongin’s, and then white hot pleasure was shooting through his body, taking him over the edge. And then Jongin was coming with him, moaning loudly as the kiss broke, squeezing his legs around Chanyeol’s hips desperately.

Chanyeol weakly pumped his hand, milking the last of their climaxes, making Jongin shiver with each touch. As he began to come down from the pleasure high, he pressed soft kisses against Jongin’s neck and shoulder as he listened to his breathing slowly steady.

“Fuck…” Jongin muttered quietly.

Chanyeol grinned, and kissed him quickly. He’d have to clean the pool later, and find a way to explain the bite mark on his shoulder to his mom, but as he looked at Jongin’s content post-orgasm expression, it felt worth it. 

—

Chanyeol glanced at his phone, eyeing the time. It was summer break again, and a year since they’d gone off to college. The pier hadn’t changed much in the year, not that he’d expected it to. There were still kids and families running around, excitedly playing games and jumping for sweets.

All of a sudden, Chanyeol’s vision blacked out, as hands pressed against his face. “Guess who?” came a voice, playful and gentle.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile. “Hmm...gotta be Sehun,” he teased.

“Fuck off,” came a droll reply, and Chanyeol could just picture Sehun’s expression, usually equipped with an eye roll.

Chanyeol laughed and reached for the hands, pulling them off his eyes so he could turn. Immediately, he grabbed Jongin into his arms, holding him tightly.

Jongin buried his face in Chanyeol’s neck. “I missed you.”

Chanyeol smiled and suddenly spun around, lifting Jongin to spin him around with him. Jongin laughed, clinging tightly to him. As soon as Jongin’s feet were back on the ground, he was pulling him into a kiss. He drew him into kiss after kiss, savoring the taste of Jongin. “I missed you too,” he said, breathy as he pulled away. 

“Seeing you weekly isn’t enough.” Jongin’s hands cupped Chanyeol’s face, as though savoring the touch of him. 

They purposefully ignored Sehun’s pretend dry-heaving.

Chanyeol just smiled and held Jongin even closer, “I know, baby. But at least we have this summer.”

“Summertime and you, two of my favorite things.”

**Author's Note:**

> Some of my very favorite tropes, I hope it was summery enough!
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/kumjongin). [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/kumjongin).


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